SOS 7201 ADVANCED SOIL PHYSICS
Lecturer
Dr. Lukman Nagaya Mulumba
Course Type: CORE (M.Sc. Agric. I.)
Course Credits (CU):
3 CU i.e. 45 Contact Hours per semester
Course Duration: 15 weeks (45 hours)
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course introduces students to soil physical environment, radiation, heat exchange, humidity, evaporation.
Properties of Soil-Water System. Movement of water and solutes in multimedia. Water transport in the soil- plant –
atmosphere continuum. Water balance. Soil atmosphere gaseous exchange. Preferential flow; break through
curves, fractal theory.
2. Course Objectives
This course will enable students to learn the basic soil physics principles that govern the behavior of soil.
Participation in the course should enable a student to apply the state-of-art - knowledge and skills in soil-water-plant
relations for sustainable natural resource development.
3. Recommended References
1. Analysis of Soil Physical Properties by Majumda and R. A Singh
2. Introduction to Soil Physics by Daniel Hillel
3. Applications of Soil Physics by Daniel Hillel
4. Soil Physics by William A. Jury, Wilford R. Gardner and Walter H
5. William A. Jury, Wilford R. Gardner and Walter H. Gardner. 2002. Soil Physics
6. Miyazaki, T., S. Hasegawa, and T. Kasubuchi. Water Flow in Soils. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
4. COURSE CONTENT, METHODS OF INSTRUCTION, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
TOPIC
CONTENT
METHOD OF
INSTRUCTION / Time
allocated
1. Introduction
Interactive lecture (2
 Course overview
hrs)
 Class introduction and establishment of
expectations
 A review of important soil physical
properties
2. The soil physical  Soil-water relations;
Interactive lecture (3
environment
hrs)
 water retention,
 energy state of water,
3. the soil physical
Interactive lecture (1.5
 water flow in saturated soils;
Environment
hrs)
 Water flow in saturated layered soils
continues
Practical (3 hrs
borrowing from Ohm’s law;
4. The soil physical
Interactive lecture (3
 water flow in unsaturated soil
Environment - conti
hrs)
TOOLS /
EQUIPMENT
NEEDED
LCD projector,
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts, Projector
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts, Projector
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
5. Soil water
regimes
6. Soil water regime
- continues
7. Soil water regime
- continues
8. Gas transport
through soil







Review of the hydrological cycle
Water loss from soil surface
water loss from plant surface
Transpiration (T)
Infiltration
Infiltration models
 downward movement of water below stored
soil water zone
 water in a given volume of soil, and their
effect on stored soil water, storage, (ΔS) for
a given volume of soil)
 Gas conservation equation;
 Gas convection
10. Gas transport
through soil
 Gas Diffusion
 Gas transport equation ; Gas transport
modeling in soil;
 Steady state Oxygen transport and
consumption
11. Thermal Regime
 Sources of radiation and energy balance
12. Thermal Regime
 The thermal conductivity as a function of soil
texture and structure, soil wetness, heat
capacity and soil temperature
 Heat exchange with air or the atmosphere
and heat flow in soil
 Thermal regime of soil profiles
 Soil stress
 Soil strain
 The concept of soil strength and its
measurement
 Soil compression
9. Gas transport
through soil
13. Thermal Regime
14. Soil dynamics
15. Soil dynamics
 Soil compaction in relation to wetness
 Soil compaction under machinery induced
pressure
 Control of soil compaction
5. SUMMARY OF TIME NEEDED
Interactive lectures covering theory
45 hrs
charts
Interactive lecture with Chalk / BB or
question and answer Markers / Flip
session (3 hrs)
charts, Projector
Interactive lecture (2.5
hrs)
Field Infiltration
practical (3 hrs)
Interactive lecture with
question and answer
session (3 hrs)
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts, LCD
projector
Mid term exam 1.5 hrs Chalk / BB or
Interactive Lecture (1.5 Markers / Flip
hrs)
charts, LCD
projector
Interactive Lecture (3 Chalk / BB or
hr)
Markers / Flip
charts, Projector
Interactive lecture (3
Chalk / BB or
hrs)
Markers / Flip
charts
Lecture (3 hr)
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts
Interactive Lecture (3 Chalk / BB or
hr)
Markers / Flip
charts
Interactive Lecture (2
hr)
Practical (2 hrs
Interactive Lecture (2 Chalk / BB or
hr)
Markers / Flip
Practical (2 hrs to see charts
the different types of
agro-chemicals
Interactive lecture (3
hrs)
Chalk / BB or
Markers / Flip
charts
6. OVERALL COURSE EVALUATION
Continuous Assessment Test
Final examination
40%
60%.
END